1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved electro-acoustically amplified drum assembly, and a microphone assembly and mounting bracket therefor.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Conventional drums consist of a hollow drum shell having one or more drum heads held in place by head hoops. Conventional drums are usually not tunable except in a very narrow range by adjustment of the head hoop. Likewise, conventional drums have not been electrically amplified in a satisfactory manner.
The placing of an electrical microphone adjacent to the drum head of a conventional drum has not proved satisfactory since only the vibrating sound from the drum head is amplified and there is very little amplification of the resonant components of the sound. The placing of an electric microphone inside a conventional drum is resulted in the amplification of a mixture of vibratory sounds which amplification which has not been musically acceptable.
Green U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,264 discloses on attempt to amplify percussion instruments including drums. In this patent, an electric pickup is cemented to the skin of drum head and vibrates adjacent to a magnet which constitutes the remainder of the pickup and is secured to a fixed part of the drum shell. In arrangement of this type may produce an amplification of vibration of the drum skin but does not produce an amplification acoustically of the sounds originating from the drum skin and by resonance from the drum shell.
Dominguez et. al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,339 discloses a drum-like instrument in which the diaphragm skin carries one part of an electrical pick up and another part of the electrical pick up is supported on the shell. This device provides for amplification of vibrations of the diaphragm or skin of the drum head but does not provide for amplification of acoustical sound mixture produced by the drum.
Ebihara et. al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,959 discloses a drum in which the diaphragm or skin of the drum head carries a magnet which moves relative to a sensing element. This arrangement provides only for amplification of the vibrations from the drum head and not of the mixture of acoustical sounds produced by the drum.
Parsons U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,367 discloses an electronic snare drum. This device consist of strings and strikers but has no drum head.
Rizutti U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,304 discloses electronic amplification of a banjo. The amplification is detected externally but not by an acoustical microphone.
Kaminsky U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,775 discloses an amplifier arrangement for drums in which a speaker is connected to the side wall of the drum shell.
Glenn et. al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,580 discloses an electrical amplification of miniature drum heads.
May U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,646 discloses the positioning of a fixed microphone inside a drum shell in which the drum head is spaced away from the shell or other openings are provided to allow the drum to "breath". This patent represents an earlier development by the applicant which was successful in its purpose but did not allow for the amplification of drums not designed in this manner.